Apparatus for making clear ice blocks



June 24, 1952 w RIBEIRQ 2,601,324

APPARATUS FOR MAKING CLEAR ICE BLOCKS Filed July 15, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET1 95 INVENTOR.

Mlfie r 61' R be im June 24, 1952 w. e. RlBElRO 2,601,324

APPARATUS FOR MAKING CLEAR ICE BLOCKS Filed July 15, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET2 Fg INVENTOR.

walfe r G. Rt'beiro Patented June 24, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7Claims.

The present invention relates to the manufacture of ice and relatesmoreparticularly to the manufacture of ice blocks by quick freezing. I

An object of the present invention is to provide a new improved methodof, andapparatus for, manufacturing ice blocks. fnnother object of thepresent invention is to provide a novel method of, and apparatus for,thequick-freezing of waterin containers so designed as to giverelatively thin fiat slabs of ice. Anothe r object of the presentinvention is to provide a simple and inexpensive method of, andapparatus fonpurifying and clarifying ice during the quick-freezingthereof. I I

Other objects and advantages of thepresent invention are apparent in thefqllowing detailed description, appended claims and accompanyingdrawings. I I I :1 I II I The present applicationisa continuation-inpartof my co-pending application Serial No. 531,402, filed April 1'7, l944,now Patent No. 2,506,614, dated May 9,1950. I

In the usual can system for making ice, a can containing 300 or 400 lbs.wateris immersed in brine at a sufficiently low sub-zero (centigrade)temperature to freeze in about 40 17050 hours. Freezing occurs atonce ifdistilled water is used, but if raw hard water saturated or entrainedwith air is used, it is generally necessary to agitatethe water to avoidproduction of ice that i s not clear, discolored, and of poorstrength.For this purpose, low (3 lbs. per sq. in. o 1; less) or high (15 to 20lbs. per sq. in.) pressure. air is introduced into the cans to agitatethe water. The agitation by air serves to prevent formation of opaqueice caused by the dissoIVedair as welI as to keep anysolid particles andsalts in the water in suspension whichwill collect in a central core ofturbid unfrozen water. I T hi s turbid water is removed by a suctiontube andreplaced by fresh water to complete the solid block of ice.After the cans of water are frozemthey are immersed in water at roomtemperature or above to loosen the cake which is removed from the can bydumping. I The cake is then provided with grooves or, cuts bymeans ofafscorihg machine at the points where the cake isto be. split into '25and 56 lbs. or larger pieces for retail sale.

'In the present commercial methods of making ice aspreviously outlined,large metal cans are used having a capacity of,30D ,.or 400 lbs. waterand having a, cross-section. of 11 x 22 inches. Such large mass of wateris difficult tofreeze as the ice f rst forms on, the inside surfa eofthe can and gradually grows inwardly. Ice is a poor heat conductor andas the ice layer jgrows t becomesfmore diflicult to freeze the remainingwater. Furthermore, it is difficult "to uniformly agitate the large massof water in eachc'an in order to remove dissolved air and impurities inthe raw water. Prio'r methods for making stand}- ard size blocks of icethus [entail high cast of power and labor, besides requiring longfreezing time which ties up expensive equipment and reduces the outputand efficiency of theplant. I I

According. to thepre'sent invention water is frozen quicklyand withrelatively low power consumption and at a considerably increasedproduction rate in relatively narrow ic'e cansorin square or rectangularor ,jcylindrical tubes with airintroduced at the bottom of theindividual can's jor other container through conduitswhi'ch are in-'sulated so as to prevent freezing of the moisture normally present inthe air. I I

The present invention also contemplates the use of an insulatedwater-circulating line inconjunction with the insulated air linereferred to above. I, For the purpose of illustrating the invention,

there are shown inth'e accompanying drawings.

forms thereof which are at present fp referred, although it is to beunderstood that the Various instrumentalities of which the inventionconsists can be variously arranged and organized and that the inventionis not limited to the precise a 'rrangements and organizations of theinstrumentalities as herein. shown and described, I I

Referring to the accompanying drawings in which like referencecharacters indicate like parts throughout: I g I Figure 1 represents aside 'elevational of a cradle support for a plurality of ice cansadapted formaking relatively thin ice slabs in accordance with thepresent invention. I I I I Figure 2 represents an end elevatio'rial viewof the embodiment'gf Figure 1. II I I Figure B represents a perspectiveview s g a somewhat modified, construction for delive I ing air to aplurality of relatively narrow side-by-side ice cans. I I I I i ur .4 rre e s; a ersne ve .r qf ,a modified form of icecanhavingair andwaterpipes extending through an in sulated casing structure formed as agenerally integral part of nf. ...i

I Figure 5 represents a side elevational-yiew of a modified form of theembodiment of Figure 4 as it appearswhen installedwithin a top overflowtank; parts being broken away better to reveal the construction thereof.

Figure 6 represents a more or less schematic top plan view of a systemwherein a plurality of individual cans like that of Figure 4 areimmersed within a freezing tank and are provided with a continuouscirculating water system as well as with air for agitation.

Figure '7 represents a fragmentary side elevational view showing anarrangement for freezing ice in the form of cylinders having relativelysmall cross-sectional area.

Figure 8 represents a side elevational view showing an arrangement forfreezing ice in the form of elongated bars of relatively small,generallly rectangular cross-section.

Figure 9 represents a horizontal cross-sectional View taken generallyalong the line 99 of Figure 8.

As more fully described in my co-pending ap plication Serial No.531,402, instead of using the standard large-size metal cans having acapacity of 300 or 400 pounds and a cross-section of about 11 x 22inches at the top, I utilize a plurality of suitably dimensionedgalvanized cans ll] of the type shown in Figures 1 and 2, which have,for example, a rectangular cross-section, at the top, of 2 x 22 inchesand a depth of about 44 inches. The cans are provided with a smoothinterior surface and are preferably tapered downwardly at their endwalls I20 to facilitate removal of the ice blocks formed therein.

A plurality (for example six) of such cans may be suspended in asuitable cradle or holder ll so that, after the cans are filled with rawwater, they can be immersed, while supported by said cradle H, into abrine tank [2 which is provided with appropriate cooling coils (notshown) to reduce the temperature of the brine sufficiently to causefreezing of the raw water in the individual ice cans [0, in a mannerwell known in the art.

The individual cans H] are provided with enlarged collar portions attheir upper edges; each can having a spout or guide-portion I! to aid inthe removal of the ice slabs.

The collar portions l6 serve to support the upper ends of the individualcans l0 Within a correspondingly-apertured overflow tank 23 carried bythe cradle H; the upper edges of the cans being below the upper edge ofthe overflow tank.

Reference is made to my co-pending application Serial No. 531,402 for amore complete description of the brine tank and the manner ofmanipulating the cradle and the individual ice cans relative thereto.

Air under pressure, supplied by a low-pressure blower or compressor (notshown) is sent through an air-supply pipe 89 which passes downward intothe brine tank through a metal casing 94 filled with a goodheat-insulating material such as kapok, granulated cork, mineral wool,etc. The air-supply pipe 89 communicates with a manifold 90 whichextends transversely across the bottoms of the several cans l0 and whichis similarly contained within an insulated casing 94-a similar to thecasing 94 described above. The manifold 90 is provided with a plurality(for example six) of upwardly-directed extensions 90-a which extendupward into the bottoms of the individual cans l0 throughappropriately-formed openings in the bottoms of said cans.

It is apparent that the air passing downward through the pipe 89 iscarried though the manifold 90 and the extensions Sil-a so that itbubbles upward through the individual cans ID in the manner disclosed inFigure 1 so as to agitate the water in the cans and to concentrate theimpurities within .a central core which is removed by a suction-tube(not shown) and replaced by clear water in the manner disclosed above sothat the turbid core, usually present in ice blocks, is minimized.

Insulation of the air-supply tubes is very advantageous as it permitsthe use of inexpensive low-pressure air for agitating the water in thecans. That is, low-pressure air carries considerable moisture which, asmentioned above, would clog the air-supply tubes upon freezing ifimmersed in the brine tank without insulation. As a result, it hasheretofore been necessary to dehydrate'or dry the air used for agitatingpurposes which necessarily adds to the cost of manufacturing the ice aswell as complicating the apparatus required.

According to the present invention, the necessity for dehydrating thelow-pressure air is eliminated.

In Figure 3 there is shown a somewhat modified embodiment of the presentinvention wherein individual air-supply tubes 89-a (one for each can)lead from a main air-supply pipe 89-h and extend downward through agenerally L-shape'd casing 94-h which is filled with insulating material95 as described above.

The individual tubes 89-a extend for varying distances within thelowermost horizontal arm within the L-shaped casing 94-!) and terminatein upwardly-directed extensions fill-b which pass up throughcorresponding openings in the bottoms of the cans so as to permit air toenter therein, in the manner described hereinabove.

The use of individual air-supply tubes 89-a. in place of the manifold90, tends to insure a more uniform air-pressure in all of the tubes,although it is somewhat more expensive.

In Figure 4 there is shown a modified form of ice can ill-a wherein themetal insulating casing 98 is formed as a generally integral partthereof extending downward along one of the tapered edges and along thebottom of the can; the casing 93 being filled with insulating material95 as described above.

An individual air-supply pipe 89-a similar to those describedhereinabove in connection with the embodiment of Figure 3 extendsdownward through the casing 98 and terminates in an upwardly-directedextension -17 protruding upward into the can through the bottom wallthereof.

In this embodiment, I may also provide a water-supply line 96 extendingdownward through the casing 98 generally parallel to the air-supply line89-a and terminating in an upwardly-directed extension 96-11 whichprotrudes upward into the can from the bottom wall thereof and throughwhich water can be circulated during the freezing operation so asfurther to clarify the ice.,

If desired, either the water-supply line 96 or the air-supply line 89a,can be omitted.

In Figure 5 there is shown a somewhat modifled form of the embodiment ofFigure 4 wherein the casing 98-a, instead of contacting the side edge ofthe ice can [0-11 is spaced apart somewhat therefrom (as for example byextending along a true vertical line instead of along the inclined sideedge I20).-

This has the advantage of exposing the adjoining side edge to the brineand thereby providing y 23 through an opening 92.

am lies! 5 an additional cooling surface (as distinguished from theconstruction of Figure "4 wherein the casing 98 -insulates the adjoiningside wall 1 20').

In Figure "6 there is shown more or less schematically a system,employing a plurality of cans ill-alike thatof Figure4 in conjunctionwith a circulating system.

Thus, the individual cans iii-o extend downward within-the brine tankwith their upperends submerged below the level of water in -'theoverflow basin 23; low-pressure air being supplied to the individual"cans via the air-supply pipe 89-2) and the individual air supply'tube's ell-a which extend downward into the casings 9B.

Water is circulated, by means of a pump 88, through the "water-'"supp'lypipe 95-h and the individual 'wate'r supply tubes *96 (which also "leadreturned to the pump 88 by means or a return line 93 leading upward fromthe overflow basin A 3-way valve 8*! is connected within the returnline93 so that water can be introduced into the system through the inletline 85.

'Inthe system shown in Figure 6, clarification of the water'i's effectedby boththe water circulation and the air agitation in the mannerdescribed above.

As also mentioned above, it is possible to eliminate either theairagitation or the water circulation (which prevents the formation of aturbid core) and still effect-fairly good clarification.

'It is also possible to eliminate the air-supply tubes Bil-a and,"instead, -to connect the air-supply pipe S'S-b tothe Water-supply pipe95-4) (employing any appropriate valve, not shown) so that, afterpreliminary circulation of water through the tubes 96, the pump "88 canbe stopped and air can be introduced into the ice tanks from the sametubes 96.

It is also possible to ,pre-cool and pre-cl'arify the water introducedinto the system through the 3-way valve 87 by means of a pre-cooler,-inthe manner described in my co-pending application Serial No. 531,402.

In Figure '7 there is shown another embodiment of the present inventionwherein air is introduced into the bottoms of a plurality of generallycylindrical small-diameter tanks He; the air-supply tube 89 passing downthrough a casing 94 provided with insulating material 95 in the mannerdescribed above.

The freezing of ice in these relatively smalldiameter cylindrical tanksI I can be carried out extremely rapidly and with relatively small powerconsumption and with a minimum of decolorization of the final product.

In addition, the elongated cylindrical ice slabs formed can be cut upinto small individual cylindrical portions, suitable for use as icecubes, with a minimum of ice wastage.

In Figures 8 and 9 there is shown a modification of the embodiment ofFigure 7 wherein the elongated individual cans I are given a generallyrectangular cross-section so as to form elongated ice slabs which can beout up into true cube-shaped ice-cubes with a minimum of icewastage.

It is obvious, of course, that any of the ice slabs formed according tothe present invention can be cut up equally well into chips or flakes orother forms, depending upon the use to which they are to be put.

I have found that ice can be frozen in a tube 1%" in diameter with 16brine in less than thirty minutes, It -is thus "evident that, bysupporting a plurality 'o'f cylindrical or rectangular tubes of-suitable ero'sssectionn area from a cradle and suspending them withinthe brine tank, it is possible to form "a relatively large amount of icein a fraction "of the time required in the case of conventionallarge-size ice tanks.

My process for making clear ice in tall narrow ice 'c'ans isalso'advantageousfor making crushed Ihe'ice is dumped from the cans inAccording to #the present invention ice blocks can be manufactured atconsiderably lower cost and with much smaller plant equipment ascompared with the methods now used. For example, an ice plant having 400standard size ice cans an make zmlstandard'size blocksevery 24 hours.

By utilizing my method and equipment, 200 standard size blocks can bemade using only 16 units of my equipment. It takes from 40 to hours tofreeze a standard 300 lb. block of ice as compared to the -'freezingtime of about two hours for an ice can 2 x '22 inches *cross section X44 inches deep'with 16 brine. Thus it is seen that much less equipmentis needed when practicing my invention as compared with present methodsfor making the same number of standard size ice blocks.

The construction shown in Figures 1, 7 and 8 can be modified so as toincorporate both water circulation and air purification through thesingle tube 89 in a manner described hereinabove in connection with theembodiment of Figure 6.

That is, water can first be circulated through the tube '8 9 and the icetanks ("employing a circulating system like that of Figure 6) and,thereafter, the flow of water can be stopped and low pressure air can beintroduced through the tubes 89 for agitation in order to efiect furtherclarification or the ice.

As used in the appended claims, the expression sub-zero refers totemperatures below the freezing point of water, namely 0 centi'grade.

The expression ice can as used in the claims, is intended to comprehendany container in which water is frozen, regardless of its size or shape,and includes standard-size ice cans, as well as the ice cans shown, forexample, in Figures 4, '7 and 8 of the present application. Similarly,the expression ice blocks is not limited in size or shape andcomprehends any body of ice frozen any of the difierent-shape anddifferent-size containers referred to above.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms withoutdeparting from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it istherefore desired that the present embodiments be considered in allrespects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to theappended clai-ins rather than to the foregoing description to indicatethe scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire toprotee't by Letters Patent:

1. Apparatus for making clear ice blocks which comprises an ice can forretaining Water to be frozen, a tube for supplying air under pressure tosaid ice can for agitating the water therein during freezing, anothertube for supplying water to said can, said tubes being positioned alongthe external walls of said can, said tubes being insulated in the regionextending along the walls of said ice can to prevent any moisturetherein from freezing and clogging the supply stream therethrough, andan outer protective casing surrounding said insulated tubes.

2. An ice can for freezing water therein comprising avertically-disposed open-top container having a bottom and havingdownwardly-tapered end-walls and relatively wider vertical sidewalls forretaining and freezing water therein, a generally vertical water and airsupply tube affixed externally of one of the end-walls of said containerand horizontally spaced therefrom, said supply tube being provided withan insulation medium to prevent freezing of the water within said supplytube, and an outer protective casing surrounding said insulating medium,said casing also being horizontally spaced from said end-wall so as topermit circulation of a refrigerating medium about the walls of saidcontainer without reducing the cooling surface area'of said container.

3. In a system for making clear ice blocks, an ice can for receiving andholding water to be frozen, said ice can being open at its upper end andbeing constructed and arranged for partial immersion within a sub-zerobrine solution, a generally enclosed casing extending downward fromadjacent the upper end of said ice can and terminating at the bottomwall thereof, said casing being generally filled with a heatinsulatingmaterial, a pair of relatively small tubes extending downward withinsaid casing and communicating with the bottom of said ice can, one ofsaid tubes being constructed and arranged to supply water to said icecan and the other tube being constructed and arranged to supplylow-pressure moisture-containing air for agitation of the water beingfrozen, said tubes being protected by said heat-insulating materialwhereby they are maintained above freezing temperature when said ice canand casing are immersed within said brine solution. an overflow basinoperatively connected at the upper open end of said can, and awater-circulating system continuously circulating water through said icecan during the freezing operation, said water circulating systemincluding a pump, a supply line leading from said pump to saidfirst-mentioned tube, and a return line leading from said overflow basinto said pump.

4. In a system for making clear ice blocks, an ice can for receiving andholding water to be frozen, said ice can being open at its upper end andbeing constructed and arranged for partial immersion within a sub-zerobrine solution, a generally enclosed casing extending downward fromadjacent the upper end of said ice can and terminating at the bottomwall thereof, said casing being generally filled with a heatinsulatingmaterial, a relatively small tube extending downward through said casingand communicating with the bottom of said ice can, said tube beingprotected by said heat-insulating material whereby it will be maintainedabove freezing temperature when said ice can and casing are immersedwithin said brine solution, and a water-circulating system continuouslycirculating water through said ice can during the freezing operation,said water circulating system including a pump, a supply line leadingfrom said pump to said tube, an overflow basin for said ice can, and areturn line leading from said overflow basin to said pump.

5. Apparatus for making clear ice blocks which comprises a plurality ofice cans adapted to contain water to be frozen, a holding cradlesupporting said plurality of cans for positioning them upright as aunitary assembly in a tank of refrigerant such as brine, air supply tubemeans mounted in fixed relation to the cans and cradle, branchconnections establishing communication between said tube means and thelower portions of said cans and forming with said tube means acontinuous conduit, including portions normally submerged in saidrefrigerant, for supplying air under pressure to said cans for agitatingthe water therein during freezing, and insulation disposed around saidnormally submerged portions of the conduit for protecting moisturetherein from freezing while subjected to said refrigerant.

6. Apparatus for making clear ice blocks which comprises a plurality ofice cans adapted to con tain water to be frozen, a holding cradlesupporting said plurality of cans for positioning them upright as aunitary assembly in a tank of refrigerant such as brine, generallyvertical air supply tube means affixed externally to an end of saidassembly, branch connections establishing communication between saidtube means and the lower portions of said cans for conducting air underpressure to said cans for agitating the water therein during freezing,and insulation jacketed around those portions of the tube means andbranch connections which are normally submerged in the refrigerant forprotecting moisture therein from freezing while permiting circulation ofrefrigerant around substantially the entire side areas of said cans.

'7. Apparatus for making clear ice blocks which comprises a plurality ofice cans adapted to contain water to be frozen, a holding cradlesupporting said plurality of cans for positioning them upright as aunitary assembly in a tank of refrigerant such as brine, a generallyvertical air supply tube affixed externally to an end wall of one ofthe'cans and spaced horizontally therefrom, branch connectionsestablishing communication between said tube and the lower portions ofsaid cans for conducting air under pressure to said cans for agitatingthe water therein during freezing, and an insulating jacket disposedaround said tube and branch connections for protecting moisture thereinfrom freezing while permitting circulation of refrigerant aroundsubstantially the entire side areas of said cans.

WALTER G. RIBEIRO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 258,226 Gergens May 23, 18821,174,591 Lewis Mar. '7, 1916 1,474,551 Pownall Nov. 20, 1923 1,739,979Martocello Dec. 17, 1929

